MicroNote 125
How To Select
Transient Voltage Suppressors
There are important Transient Voltage
Suppressor (TVS) data sheet
characteristics and ratings that require
careful comparisons to circuit-
component limitations and transient
conditions before selecting the optimum
component. When using these TVSs,
the most important parameters are
identified as the Rated Working Peak
Voltage or Rated Standoff Voltage
(VWM), the Peak Pulse Power
Dissipation (PPP), Peak Impulse Current
(IPP), and Clamping Voltage (VC).
Further parameters are also described
herein and how they might further
influence selection of TVS components.
It is important to recognize that a TVS is
primarily intended to serve as a
shunt-voltage clamp across sensitive
components in the circuit to prevent high
voltage transients from damaging them.
Until these transients occur, the TVS
will be idling at very low standby
current levels and appear "transparent"
to the circuit. When a high voltage
transient does occur, the device clamps
the voltage by avalanche breakdown.
Also see MicroNote 103 for further
details.
TVS Voltage Selection
with VWM
The first step in selecting a TVS is to
determine what the highest continuous
peak normal operating voltage will be at
the point of intended protection in the
circuit. This should include continuous
dc or repetitive ac peak voltages such as
sinusoidal peaks intended for normal
operation, but excludes any higher
undesired voltage transients that need to
be clamped or suppressed. This highest
operating voltage will then determine
the Rated Standoff Voltage (VWM)
selection of the TVS component. This is
also identified as the rated working peak
voltage for the selected TVS device
where it provides high impedance and
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low standby current (ID) in the circuit
during normal operation. Although most
of the electrical characteristics are given
only for 25ºC conditions in TVS data
sheets, the VWM is a value that is also
applicable over the specified operating
temperature range. This is typically
-55ºC to +150ºC for plastic components
and -55ºC to +175ºC for glass or metal
hermetically sealed components. The
Microsemi TVS products are available
with VWM voltages ranging from 2.7
volts to 400 volts or higher.
The next higher voltage characterized
for TVS devices is the breakdown
voltage VBR. It is typically 10 to 15%
above VWM and is the voltage that TVS
devices go into avalanche similar to a
zener diode. It may be specified with
both minimum and maximum or with
just the minimum at a relatively low
specified current value. The VBR also
has a temperature coefficient of αV(BR)
similar to zeners that must be considered
when operating over a broad
temperature range. Since the αV(BR) has a
maximum of +0.1%/°C for TVS
products, it is also the primary reason
the VWM is located at least 10% below
VBR for the rated standoff voltage. When
devices are operated in cold conditions
down to -55°C (for example), the VBR
declines in value thus reducing the
margin remaining between rated
standoff or working peak voltage VWM.
The highest voltage parameter specified
for a TVS is VC or clamping voltage
under high-current pulse conditions. It
is typically 35 to 40 % higher than VBR
(or 60 % higher than VWM) and
represents the maximum clamping
voltage during the specified peak
impulse current IPP. When making this
VC comparison to the circuit, it is
important the clamping voltage does not
exceed the instantaneous voltage level
acceptable for safe operating conditions
of the other components that are
by Kent Walters
Microsemi
kwalters@microsemi.com
protected by the TVS in the circuit.
Most of this VC voltage increase above
the initial VBR during surge is a result of
the positive temperature effects from
energy and heat inside the TVS
component that is briefly generated
during the high-current-surge event.
The remainder is due to parasitic
resistance effects of the TVS during the
impulse for the typically specified
10/1000 µs or 8/20 µs surges.
TVS Power Selection by
Calculation of PPP
All TVS devices are rated in various
Peak Pulse Power dissipation (PPP) levels
to allow economic and safe suppression
of a variety of different surge conditions.
This typically ranges from 150 W to
90,000 W and higher for Microsemi
TVS components in safely clamping
various impulses. To select a component
in PPP by calculated methods, it is
necessary to define the transient
conditions in both Peak Impulse Current
(IPP), pulse width and waveform. The
PPP is the product of the clamping
voltage multiplied times the peak
impulse current or PPP = VC x IPP. Since
the maximum VC is already known by its
described relation with the previously
selected VWM above, the IPP is the
primary item further needed to
determine PPP. This worst-case surge
current can be determined if the
open-circuit-transient voltage (VOC) and
short-circuit current (ISC) are identified.
These conditions are often include in
various industry standards such as the
IEC1000-4-2, 1000-4-4 and 1000-4-5
International Standards or
RTCA/DO-160 for avionics. These
describe ESD, EFT, or lightning
conditions respectively for the IEC
standards. When surge conditions are
known in this manner, the source
impedance (ZS) can be determined by
Ohms Law where ZS = VOC/ ISC. Any
other resistance in the circuit (RC)
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 MicroNote 125
between the transient source and the
TVS location should also be included
before calculating the peak impulse
current IPP value. Other inductance and
capacitance effects in the line have been
neglected for this simplified worst-case
analysis. With these values we can
again determine:
IPP = (VOC - VC) / (ZS + RC) by Ohm's
Law. As may be observed in this
example, the voltage difference between
the transient open-circuit voltage and the
clamping voltage of the TVS occurs
across the combined source resistance
and added circuit resistance. We can
then determine what the PPP is for the
TVS by multiplying the IPP by VC or:
PPP = VC x (VOC-VC)/(ZS + RC). If the
clamping voltage of the TVS component
is very low compared to the open-circuit
transient voltage and there is no other
added circuit resistance RC, then the
surge current is simply the short-circuit
surge current ISC or VOC/ZS as a worst-
case (highest) peak impulse current
analysis. In this worst case, the
PPP = VC x ISC .
In addition to these power calculations,
the actual pulse width and waveform
must be considered for accurate
selection of a TVS. Many TVS devices
have their PPP rated for either 10/1000 µs
or 8/20 µs surges. However TVS data
sheets also show how this PPP is affected
by shorter or longer pulse widths or
waveforms on a log-log plot. These
generally follow a Wunsch-Bell curve
relation where PPP capabilities will
increase by one decade (ten fold
increase) for every two decades decrease
in pulse width (100 fold decrease). This
is further described in MicroNote 104
and 120. When also operating TVS
devices at elevated temperatures, the PPP
must be derated. These methods are
shown in MicroNote 115.
TVS Power Selection by
Approximation of PPP
Surge events by their very nature can
sometimes be very allusive or
undefined. If the surge conditions are
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not known with open-circuit-transient
voltage and short-circuit current or by
means of oscilloscope evaluation during
a surge event, other guidelines have also
been used to serve as approximations in
selecting a TVS. There are three basic
categories in levels of protection that
have been recognized in the industry as
to where TVS components may be used
or located . These are "primary",
"secondary", and "board" levels. Since
the last one requires the lowest PPP
protection, we will start with that
example first.
In "board level" designs, they can still
experience high-voltage spikes but also
have the highest source or circuit
resistance. As a result of these current-
limiting effects, they have the lowest
comparative peak impulse currents and
transient PPP requirements. Applications
at this level most often use TVS power
selections of 400 W to 600 W at
10/1000 µs or 300 W to 500 W at 8/20
µs. These latter shorter-pulse width
ratings are designed for ESD threats and
low-level induced lightning at the board
level that are suitable for protection
against HBM test levels up to 15,999 V
and higher.
In "secondary level" designs, the
needed protection areas will normally be
preceded with a transformer or a given
series resistance and inductance. The
peak impulse currents are greater than
board level, but not of the high level
otherwise experienced on low-
impedance lines. A 1500 W TVS will
typically be sufficient for most of these
"secondary" protection levels, however
engineering judgment should still be
used for each example. There are also
individual TVS components now
available up to 5000 W or even
15,000 W without resorting to larger
arrays. These can also be useful if
tighter clamping-voltage ratios
(VC/VWM) are needed by simply over
sizing the TVS in PPP to reduce the VC
experienced from a specific known
surge condition. See MicroNote 108 for
further details.
The "primary level" of protection is
the most severe transient environment.
It usually has a very low source
impedance as well as a low series
resistance. For example this might
involve transmission lines that are
exposed to the highest degree of voltage
transients such as power switching or
lightning strikes. As a result of this
combination, a single TVS may not be
adequate protection. However
Microsemi does offer a series of custom
modules involving TVS arrays to fit
individual requirements with up to
90 kW of PPP or higher. Like any of the
silicon p-n junction TVSs, these larger
TVS designs also do not have wear-out
mechanisms as do other high-power-
suppression devices such as MOV's.
Other TVS Parameter
Selections
The capacitance of a TVS can often
become an added characteristic of
importance if the frequency or baud rate
on signal lines is relatively high.
Otherwise the capacitance contributed
by the TVS will cause excessive losses
in the circuit. There are many low-
capacitance options available from
Microsemi in a variety of sizes or PPP
ratings such as 100 pF for 1500 W
ratings or 50 pF at 500 W ratings with
10/1000 µs surges. Also a great variety
in TVS arrays are available for I/O
signal lines for protecting transceivers
and other sensitive components from
damaging ESD events. These latter
examples are available down to 2.5 pF
and 5 pF in various SO-8 and SO-16
examples including unidirectional or
bi-directional respectively. See
MicroNotes 117 and 121.
All of the Microsemi TVS devices can
also be provided in both unidirectional
and bi-directional configurations where
the latter is most often distinguished by
adding a "C" or "CA" suffix to the part
number.
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